Station indicator



NOV. 16, 1954 B' B KlRBY STATION INDICATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan.13, 1951 @will B. B. KIRBY Nov. 16, 1954 STATION INDICATOR 5 sheds-sheet2 Filed Jan. 13, 1951 NOV- 16, 1954 B, B. KIRBY STATION INDICATOR 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 13, 1951 IN1 ENTOR,

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B. B. KIRBY STATION INDICATOR Nov. 16, 1954 5 Sheets-Shet 4 Filed Jan.13, 1951 Nov. 16, 1954 B. B. KIRBY STATION INDICATOR Filed Jan. l5, 19515 Sheets-Sheet 5 This invention relates to improvements in railwaystation indicators and has particular reference to a station indicatorsuitable for indicating to the mail clerk the approach of the train to anon-stop mail station.

On most railway systems where mail is carried, provision is made for thesmaller non-stop stations where mail United States Patent O is picked upmechanically and delivered manually. When, n

these non-stop stations are being approached the mail clerk must havesome indication of the location of said station so that he may be ableto deliver the mail pouch within a predetermined zone relative to saidstation. By means of this railway station indicator the mail clerk willbe notified either audibly or visually of the trains approach to thestation so that he will have sufficient time to properly position thepick-up mechanism and to deliver the mail pouch in the prescribed zone.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of astation indicator that will automatically indicate the approach of atrain to certain stations throughout its entire run or division.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a means forindicating the approach to stations,

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a stationindicating film provided with station indicating indicia and adapted tobe driven in either of -two directions across the face of the indicatorwhereby to indicate to the mail clerk the approach of the train to thestation from either of two directions.

Another object `of this invention is the provision of a stationindicator having a movable tape and having resilient means whereby thetension is maintained substantially constant.

A still further object of the invention. is the provision of a stationindicator having driving means whereby an indicating tape is driven insynchronization with the forward speed of the railway car includingmanually operable means, whereby the tape may be freed from said drivingmeans for relative adjustment thereto.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, ease andefficiency of operation, and adaptability for adjustment to properlyindicate the approach of the train to a certain station length of thedetours made by the train in its travel.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appearduring the course of the specification reference will now be had to thedrawings wherein;

Fig. l is a front elevation cator for railway cars showingdiagrammatically its drive connection with the railwaycar, and embodyingthis in- Ventron.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the station indica-y tor with some ofthe parts deleted.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevational view of the station with some ofthe cover parts removed.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged rear view of 'the station indicator showing someofthe driving mechanism and with some` parts broken away.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line V-V ofFig. 4. Y j

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary'enlarged sectional view taken on line VI-VI ofFig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectionalview taken Fig. 3 with some deleted.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the driving parts left inelevation and other parts 'means with parts broken away.

directly linterconnected with and driven by the rotating car axle.

regardless of the number or' of a railway station indi-"" f mounted onshaft 68 is a spur gear 70 which is on line VII--VII of 2,694,269Patented Nov. 16, 1954 which are adapted to move the tape at a relativelow` rate of speed. l

Fig. l2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on llne XII-XII of Fig. 3. l

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on line XIII-XIII of Fig. l2.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged sectional taken on line XIV- XIV of Fig. 7.

Fig. l5 is a diagrammatic view of the electrlcal clrcuit by which thestation indicator is controlled.

Throughout the several views of the drawings like reference numeralsrefer to similar parts, and the numeral 2 designates a housing orcabinet of substantially rectangular form and having a removable covermember 4 secured to cabinet 2 by nuts 5 to facilitate adjustment andpositioning of parts within the cabinet.

The reversible indicating tape 6 is provided along its opposite edgeswith a series of like slots 8 adapted to receive teeth 10 mounted on theperiphery of driven drums 12 and 13 around which tape y6 passes toextend in a substantially horizontal planar position between twotransparent plates 14 and 16. Plate 14 is carried by a bracket 18positioned on the front side of c abinet 2, while memberA 16 is securelyattached along its rear edge to cabinet 2 and is disposed in spacedapart relation slightly above member 14 to permit the tape 6 to freelypass therebetween, furthermore the space between 14 and 16 extends tothe forward edge of member 16 whereby said tape 6 may be positionedtherebetween from the front side.

Below plate 14 is a compartment 20 containing an electric lamp 22 whichserves to illuminate the plate and to clearly outline the indicia ontape 6. A shield 26 is so mounted in compartment 20, as to prevent thedirect light from lamp 22 from being directed against said indicia. Thelower wall 2S of compartment 20 is provided with an open vent 30 wherebyair is permitted to circulate about lamp 22 whereby it is cooled.

Referring to Fig. l it will be noticed that in this view a live car axle32 is provided with a xed drive gear 34. Car axle 32 carries a bearingplate 36 on which is carried a spur gear 38 disposed to mesh with gear34. Shaft 40 mounted for rotation in bearing plate 36 is operativelyconnected to drive the exible shaft 42 which is interconnected withshaft 44 by means of coupling 46. Shaft 44 is rotatably mounted inbracket 48 which is secured to housing 2. Shaft 44 extends upwardlythrough an operating arm 50 and is provided thereabove with a rigidlyattached pinion 52. The forward portion of bracket 48 is arcuate andnotched at 54, 56 and 58 to receive a tooth 60 by means of which theoperating arm is ,secured in any one of three positions. Tooth 60 isslidably carried by operating arm 50, and is normally urged to thelatched position by means of compression spring 62 and is removable fromthe latched position by means of hand grip 63. When the tooth 60 is innotch 56 and the power is turned on, the tape 6 will remain at rest.Mounted for rotation on arm 52 is a gear wheel 64 which is in mesh withpinion 52, also rotatably carried by arm 50 is a gear wheel 66 which isin mesh with gear wheel 64 whereby when gear 64 is rotated by pinion 52gear wheel in one direction 66 will be rotated in the oppositedirection. Mounted in parallel relation with shaft 44 is a shaft 68which is rotatably mounted in the lower and upper leg of bracket 48 asclearly shown in Fig. 3. Rigidly v in operative alignment with gears 64and 66 so that when operating arm 50 is moved to a position with tooth60 in notch 54 gear 64 will be in operativeengagement with gear to driveshaft 68 in one direction, and 4when arm 50 is moved to a position withtooth 60 in notch 58 then gear 64 will be moved out of engagement withgear 70 and gear 66 will be moved in mesh with gear 70 to drive theshaft 68 in the opposite direction of rbtation. When tooth 60ispositioned in notch 56 then both gears due .toy thef-worm Iconnectionwith the AWorm rwheel.

rammen --is ra'daptedfto carry "-a longitudinally adjustable fclrivewheel 72 which is provided with a suitable frict-iona'tire The hub ofwheel 72 is provided with an annulargroove 76' -whichis Ladapte'dtoreciveetheshifting arm 7 swhich -is-rotatably mounted ontnut i80.rNuttSGlis operatively mounted on a threaded shaft 82 which "is'rotatably 'mountedlin-thefupperandi/lowertlegs kof bracket .148 inparallel relation to shaft 68. This shaft-sisf-secured against with athumb wheel,84 by means of which the nut may -be operatedt'toddjusthedriveewheel 72 vertically on its shaft.

Referring-to Figf 'rferenceais had tor-drive-shaft 864longitu'dinal'f-movement-aridlis provided at `its-lowerend l which isrotatablyJ earried-lly`r housing'fZ, and; is -provided atitsL-inneriendhwith drive sprocket88'in'housingcompartmentl90,'andzoutsidef-said compartment with la wormWheel 92 which Iinterrneshesy withla-worm .194 tangentially `carried by-a'braclset`i96 mounted for arcuate movement on-shaftfi86 'as-'Clearly`shown in FignlS. AThe-lower end of worm shaft-98 carriesa'frustof-conical wheell-100fwhich is securely-attached 'thereto byfmeans of A set vscrew 102. The:frusto-conical-surface 104 of-'wheel .100is lurged against friction( `=tire 74E :by` means :of: extension spring106 v. relative rate ofvrotation oli-shafts -681andi98rmay beadjustedtoproperly indicate-theposition-ofthe train on the track-relative-to-'a'-given-'rallway station-as shown ontape `6.

For permittingfmanual-setting of the tapeto properly indicate theposition-of the train along the track the'following means is provided.Drive shaft-86 vis provided at its forward end 'portion-with-a-handggrip112 which is lsecurelyattachedY lbylmeansvofset-screw 114. HubY116 of wormw.heel 92-islprovided-with `a-series of lsockets 118ftformedtparallel `with shaft'JS adapted to receive pins'12th-mounted.Vonl'thet-inner?faceY orf-sleeve 122 which isslidablyrmountedron:shaft-186 -and adjustablelongitudinallyutherealongby means--of -a stem -124-which is securedthereto by -rneansA of a crossi-pin-126which extends. throughslots 128-tol engage said sleeve. Shaft 86 .is 4counterbored f at 1130 -to:receive y-stem 124 and lthe slots 1128.-arerof suicient-leng'th-to-rpermit the movement .of'pins2.1/261rtoand from -sockets 118, toserve as .a .clutch Lto secure-the '-partsf together. `-When this clutchmeansis engagedthe operator cannot-adjust--the tape 124 isprovided-withangergrip 125.

-Drive-spr-ocket-tSS operativelytengagesan endless chain belt 2132:which v is Apperatively".positioned about large sprocket wheels'134-andIMJ-mounted respectively on likeshafts:1.38 and140. Seel-Figs.'-'4 and5.

lBearing. plates 1142 Aremovably-secured "to housing 2 by means ofscrews-144 are rbored at146-and serve to carry bearings'148\vhichsupport=the outerends of shafts 138 and y140;'.the'centralcportionoflsaidshafts are supported* by bearingslSO- mounted infhousing.'Mounted on shafts 138. arid 1140 betweentbearings 11'48 and 150 is the:sprocket wheel 134 -whichlisvmountedfor free rotation thereon. iTheinnerendportion of shaft 138 issquared at 152-toreceivel tape reelt162Vto rotate therewith. :Theouter end-ofstraft-138his provided with alatchmember`.1S4..pivoted at-1`56. Latch member l154 is adapted to` be;positioned in alignment with shaft138 to receive. the4 reel `1562fthereover, and'therr to -be `turned atright angles thereto-tosecure'thereelagainst'longitudinal movement onfsaidshaft.

136respectively through -ratchet'clutches 158V and 160 at a speed-suicient tof-maintaintitheA tape taught -at all times regardlessoffthe'relat-iVe amount ftape wound which -isfattached1at iits oneendto; pin T108-` mounted in Stem on thereel. '--Each'of'theYratcherclutches 158 Van'd'160,

comprises 'acentr'al hub member-'164 secured byv pin'166 to-shaft y"138and -a ratchet toothed peripheral member 168l mounted -on ysaid'hilb and-rotatably driven therewith by-'means of africtionalfsprng member`170,whereby there will lalways'beaslippageof'ithe ratchettoo'th peripheralmember-"due to thedrag lof'the tape which is :and permittedhto.ridlezinf. the opposite direction.

" train 'on' the* track through' lthe "driven sprocketw88, chain 132,sprocket wheels 134 and 136 the hubs of which are provided with sprocketwheels 172 which are respectively operatively interconnected withsprocket wheels 174 and 176 by chain belt 178, see Fig. 4. Referring toFig. 6 it will be noted that hub member 164 is circumferentially groovedat 180 and that ratchet toothed member 168 is internallygrooved..at.182. .Spring 170 is adapted to be positioned in grooves '180and 182 to hold the clutch members inoperative relation and to lmaintainthe spring in position in the clutch.

Referringto vFig-4 is willbe/noted thatthe ratchet tooth member 168 istoothed for engagement by pawl 184 to be driven by sprocket wheel134, inan anticlockwise direction. This pawl is urged to the ratchetingposition by spring 186 secured to sprocket wheel 134. A pawl 188 pivotedto bearing plate 142 and urged to the engaging position byspring 190serves `to prevent accidental clockwise movement-ofl the member 1.68.`However, as above set-forth tbe'tension-springUG 'positioned betweenhub 164 andratchet toothed member 168;permits arelative adjustment ofthe'ratchet parts `sutlicient to 'maintain a. predetermined.tensioning'of the tape 6 during its operation. '.-Theftoothed member ofratchet 1160 `is similar `to that. of;ratchet.158 -withthe-ratchet teeth:formed so that they will serve to` drive the ratchet in a clockwisedirection. :By means of lthese two ratchets it is apparent that thetapernaywbe selectively driven to the right or to the left along itspath of travel simply by adjusting the lever 50 to cause certain of thedriving-spur gears to intermesh. '.When the train is moving along'thetrack in the. direction indicated by Vthe yarrow on Fig. 3 the belt6swill be moved in'y the reverse direction so that `on the kindicator`they townr being-approached lwill appear to bemovingto'. thecenter lineof the indicator.

.-Referringtnow to .^Eigs. ll, l2, and 13 wherein is shown the driveconnectionlfrom-sprocket wheels 174 .and :176 todrivewdrums'f-l :and 12respectively it will bexnoted thatYsprocket-wheel -174 is frigidlysecured to shaft;1921 byrneans of set screw `194. 'Shaft 192is'rotatably mounted in abearing 196 mounted in housing ,2. Theinner.=.end ;portion '198 of shaft 4192 is longi- .ztudinally groovedat, 200 `to. receive pin rollers.202. -Pin rollers 202 .serve tof engageandv gripthe wall t204 lof bore :206 ofl this Ldriving "druminto whichshaft portion 198 is rotatably fitted. VGrooves'200 are of like wedgeform zandfserve with-...walls 1204-and rollers 202 as a clutchwherebyzthe drive drum :13 is ,driven in one-direction It--will be notedthat the threegrooves are so spaced yabout the :periphery ofa193'uthatone of; them Will always be positioned so as toeifectratgripping actionto drive the driv- ,ing drum l13. Referring `to Fig. ll it will be notedthat when the clutch-member in driving drum 13- is the direc- Vtionindicated by the-arrow tape will be drawn-from drum 12,` furthermore theclutchin drum 12 will'not drive said drumin the direction of therotation of Adrum 13 thuspermittingitto stand still until such time lasthetape becomes sufficiently' taut to drive said drum in thesamedirectionas the rotation of driving drum13 so that :thevtension Vof. thetape will be regulated bythe tensioning spring-170. in clutch 150,=seeFigs. 5 and 6. The rollers 202 are maintained in' proper position by thesleeve 208positioned betweenrbearing 196 and driving drum 13 aud-'bywasher.210 secured to the'face of drurn,13 by means of .a:screw.212.andlbored in shaft 192.

Anelectric .switch box` 214 securedl to housing 2' carries a switch arm216 pivoted intermediate itsends-at 218 with its upperendi2201adaptedto-rest against tape 6 on drive drum 13 tornormallvhold the springswitch 222 in the openposition. .The upper end 220 of -arm 216 rests ontape'6 in; alignment with-a series of holes 224 formedxin :saidtape sothatvwhenhole -2241registers with said'arm-216 saidarm will beoscillated to iezszt against drum 13 and to permit theclo'sing of switchAnother switch box 226 provided Awitlrrswitcharms 232 is'operatedin-likemanner'as switch arm =222 by a switch arm 216 which isoperated'byfdropping into one of a series ofwholes 230 formed in tape 6opposite the series ofholes 224.

For further control of the electric circuit shownfdiagrammatically -inFig. 1-5, two @spaced :apart rspring switches 234 and 236 are mountedinfbracket 48 .zand are operable by the operating arm 50 as it is movedtransversely over bracket 48. Each of these switches has a xed contactmember 238 and a spring contact member 240 whch is normally held in theopen position. A ball 242 is positioned on top of member 240 to extendabove the surface of bracket 48 in the path of operating arm 50, so thatas arm 50 is moved over ball 242 it will force 240 down to contact xedmember 238 thus closing switch 234. Switch 236 has a like switchstructure which is adapted to be operated in like manner as theoperating arm is moved to the right to close said switch. An annunciator244 is positioned in the electric circuit to indicate the approach ofthe train to the non stop station where mail is to be delivered orreceived.

This electric circuit includes suitable power lines 246 and 248.Switches 222 and 232 are joined together by wire 249 and this wire isconnected to power line 246 by wire 250. Wire 250 also extends toconnect with one terminal of an electric lamp 22 while the otherterminal of said lamp is connected by wire 252 to power line 248. Aswitch 254 is inserted in wire 252 to operate to open and close thecircuit. Spring contact member 240 of switch 236 is connected to contactpoint 236 by wire 238 and the xed contact 238 is connected by wire 260to one terminal of the annunciator coil 262, while the other terminal ofsaid coil is connected by wire 264 to wire 252. When switch arm 216drops into hole 224 onto the periphery of drum 13 the lower portion ofthe arm will move away from switch 222 and permit it to contact point256 to close the circuit so that when switch 256 is closed, as shown,current will pass from wire 246 to wires 250, 249, switch 22, wire 258,closed switch members 238 and 240, to wire 260 to coil 262, wires 264and 252 through closed switch 250 to power wires 248 thus energizing theannunciator whereby signal is given that the train is approaching a nonstop station. Switch members 238 and 240 of switch 234 are alsoconnected up with annunciator 244 by wire 266 whereby when arm 216 fallsinto one of the series of holes 230 onto the periphery of drum 12,switch 232 will make contact with contact point 268 which connects withswitch member 240 of switch 234 through wire 270. This switch 234 actsonly when the train is running in the opposite direction and theoperating arm 50 has been moved to force the switch members 240 and 238of said switch to the closed position, whereby the annunciator will beoperated to announce the approach of the towns from the oppositedirection.

The indicia 272 on tape 6 are to indicate the irregularly spaced townsalong the railway and the numeral indicia 274 to indicate the number ofmiles to and from a given station shown on the tape.

A bracket 276 carried by housing 2 is inclined upwardly and forwardly tocarry a looking glass 278 to reflect the indicia from tape 6 in theproper readable position to an operator positioned in front of theindicator.

This description clearly sets forth the objects of my invention and whatI desire to claim is:

A station indicator for a propelled railway comprising a cabinet adaptedto be mounted in said car, a tape carried for longitudinal movement insaid cabinet, said tape having longitudinally spaced apart stationindicating markers thereon and a pair of holes formed therethroughrespectively in oppositely spaced relationship from each of saidmarkers, an electrical circuit including a signalling device and asource of electric power, a pair of switches carried by said cabinet andadapted to be inserted selectively in said circuit, each of saidswitches having an operating arm, said arms normally being urged againstsaid tape and being held thereby against movement to hold said switchesopen, driving means for moving said tape in synchronization with thespeed of travel of said car, whereby said holes are successively broughtinto registry with said switch operating arms, said holes permittingmovement of said arms to close said switches, manual means for reversingsaid driving means to reverse the direction of travel of said tape, andswitching means disposed in said electric circuit and operable by saidreversing means to insert one or the other of said first named switchesin said circuit.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 709,236 Morgan Sept. 16, 1902 863,166 Fogelberg Aug. 13, 1907987,037 Berrenberg Mar. 14, 1911 1,068,112 Deardor July 22, 19131,246,240 Cranmer Nov. 13, 1917 1,457,358 Fulton June 5, 1923 1,457,378Majka et al. June 5, 1923 1,471,439 Zetterbaum Oct. 23, 1923 1,532,731Coleman et al. Apr. 7, 1925 1,774,683 Van Horn Sept. 2, 1930 1,785,241Bates Dec. 16, 1930 2,097,148 Erlandsen Oct. 26, 1937 2,510,409 McPhaulJune 6, 1950 2,575,174 Kirby Nov. 13, 1951

